Hon. Lisa F. Chrystal, P.J.F.P. (Ret.) to Moderate NJSBA Webcast: “A 20/20 Look at 50/50 Custody”

Hon. Lisa F. Chrystal, P.J.F.P. (Ret.) to Moderate NJSBA Webcast: "A 20/20 Look at 50/50 Custody"
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Date Published: 10/16/2026

Event Description

Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026

Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

Location: Live Online Webcast

CLE Credits: NJ: 3.3 (Matrimonial Attorney-Custody / General) | NY: 3.0 | PA: 2.5

Overview

Join the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) for an in-depth webcast examining the real-world impact, benefits, and challenges of equal physical custody arrangements: “A 20/20 Look at 50/50 Custody: From the Bench, the Expert, and the Bar – Practical Tools for the ‘New’ Custody Landscape.”

Brach Eichler’s own Hon. Lisa F. Chrystal, P.J.F.P. (Ret.) will serve as the program moderator, leading the opening welcome, coordinating panel discussions, and guiding attendee Q&A sessions throughout the afternoon.

While 50/50 shared physical custody has long been viewed as a primary solution to maintain dual-parent involvement and reduce litigation, decades of practice have revealed critical nuances. With states increasingly weighing equal custody legislation, this program takes a clear, retrospective look at what experience has proven—delivering practical guidance for negotiating parenting plans, anticipating friction points, and handling dispute resolution proactively.

Key Discussion Topics

  • Sole vs. Shared Custody: Best interest standards, evidentiary burdens, and when sole custody remains appropriate.

  • Legal Custody Dynamics: Managing day-to-day versus major life decisions within parenting plans.

  • Evaluating 50/50 Physical Custody: Benefits, potential detriments, and psychological considerations for children.

  • Legislative Updates: The latest amendments to N.J.S.A. 9:2-4 and their impact on child custody proceedings.

  • Case Law Insights: Mandatory co-parenting counseling analysis under Kinsella v. Kinsella.

  • Practice Considerations: The FD (Non-Dissolution) docket, immigration issues in parenting time, best-interests evaluators, and post-judgment enforcement/modifications.

Featured Faculty

  • Moderator:

    • Hon. Lisa F. Chrystal, P.J.F.P. (Ret.) – Brach Eichler LLC

  • Distinguished Panelists:

    • Hon. Bruce D. Buechler, J.S.C. – Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County

    • Alyssa Bartholomew, Esq. – Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC

    • LaDonna M. Cousins, Esq. – Williams Law Group, LLC

    • Eileen A. Kohutis, Ph.D. – Forensic and Clinical Psychologist

    • Matheu D. Nunn, Esq. – Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost, Botwinick, Nunn & Musmanno, P.C.

    • Michelle T. Thompson, Esq. – Lawrence Law

Registration & CLE Details